She shook her head faintly.
"I've even heard she has a lot of lovers… and she ruins other people's relationships."
A small pause.
"Maybe one of the girls finally got fed up and did that to her."
As she spoke, her gaze subtly shifted—just briefly—toward Matthew.
Then she covered her mouth lightly, as if she had said too much.
"Oh my goodness," Nyra added quickly, softening her voice. "I didn't mean it like that. I just… I hope Ava is okay."
Her expression turned gentle again, carefully composed.
But the room had already noticed the direction of her words.
"Oh my goodness, I didn't mean Ava's morals are wrong or that she has a loose character," Nyra said quickly, her tone turning soft and apologetic, as if she had been misunderstood. "Ava is actually a really nice girl."
She smiled faintly, like she was trying to correct herself gently.
Felix and Philip glanced at her at the same time.
Their lips twitched.
Philip leaned back slightly, watching her performance like he was observing a stage play.
If they didn't know Matthew was the one who did it… they'd believe her completely, he thought.
Felix exhaled slowly.
Girls are scary.
Nyra didn't look like she was lying outright.
She looked like someone "accidentally slipping" and then trying desperately to fix it.
But somehow… it only made everything more pointed.
Matthew turned a page in his book calmly.
"And how is that your business?" he said flatly. "It's her life. Why are you affected?"
Nyra blinked.
Her mouth opened.
Closed.
Opened again.
Then she forced a small laugh.
"You're really right," she said softly. "It is Ava's life. I'm just… sad. But it's all rumors anyway. Who knows?"
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Indeed, we shouldn't believe rumors.
"Though Ava's behavior isn't just rumors—we can all see it."Mary added it calmly, almost casually.
The air shifted slightly.
Matthew lifted his gaze and looked at her.
Just a glance.
But it carried weight.
Mary immediately felt it—cold, sharp, silent pressure. Her fingers tightened slightly on her book before she forced herself to look away.
Was I overthinking? she wondered as she looked at Matthew who looked gentle.
The group slowly settled back into reading.
Philip took it upon himself to keep things moving, answering questions while Felix relaxed and occasionally joked.
Snacks and drinks were passed around freely since Ava had brought plenty.
"Thanks," Mary said quietly, taking a snack and juice.
"Wow, this brand is hard to get," Nyra said suddenly, ignoring everything else on the table. "Matthew, can I have some too?"
Philip rolled his eyes but continued working.
Matthew didn't respond.
Nyra's smile flickered slightly but stayed in place.
Matthew acted like he hadn't heard her at all, still focused on solving the questions with Philip and Felix.
For a brief moment, Nyra's expression softened—her smile still there, but her eyes dimmed slightly, gathering emotion as if she had been quietly hurt.
"Matthew…" she said softly. "Do you not like me? Am I being too much? I thought we were friends."
Her voice was low, gentle, carefully shaped.
She expected him to look up.
To soften.
To correct her misunderstanding to coax her
.
But Matthew didn't even pause.
"I'm not obligated to give you anything," he said calmly. "Take from the table or keep reading."
Silence.
Nyra froze.
Her eyes widened slightly.
Felix exhaled under his breath.
Philip glanced away, hiding a smirk.
Felix leaned slightly toward Philip and muttered,
"Damn…"
Matthew's tone hadn't changed at all.
Matthew was a clean freak—he didn't like sharing food. Felix said that, lying through his teeth, even though seconds ago Ava had just fed Matthew juice from her own mouth.
But it wasn't a complete lie. Matthew only shared things on his own terms. Ava was just… special. Felix thought
Nyra forced a small smile back onto her face after a beat, carefully collecting herself.
"…I see," she said softly. "You're right."
She reached for a snack from the table and quietly started eating.
But this time—
her smile didn't feel as effortless as before.
Meanwhile, behind the school in an abandoned gym.
Ella and her four friends were tied to chairs, wrists bound tightly behind them. Their eyes were swollen, red, and teary—faces still full of fear and humiliation.
Whatever confidence they had earlier was gone.
Completely erased.
If Ava had beaten them physically, then Jane had handled them in another way—mental pressure, intimidation, and pure psychological breakdown until they were barely holding themselves together.
The door creaked open.
Ava walked in.
Calm.
Unbothered.
Like she was entering a normal room.
Jake and Luna were already inside, standing near the side, laughing while scrolling through photos on Jake's phone.
Close-up shots of Ella and her gang in their worst state.
"Disgusting," Ava said flatly as she looked at the images. "Did they… pee themselves?"
Jane leaned against Jordan, arms folded loosely, expression relaxed.
"My poor Jane went hard on them now she had stressed herself cause of them ," Jordan said softly, kissing the top of her head like Jane had suffered.
Ella's eyes widened in disbelief.
Even now—
Jane was being treated gently while she sat there tied up.
It made something inside Ella twist violently Jane went pycopat in them why did she treated like she was the victim Ella screamed inwardly.
"I think Ella is going to vomit blood," Jake muttered, still scrolling.
Luna crossed her arms
"They tried to humiliate you. They're the ones who started the rumor about you being hanged on a tree."
She tilted her head slightly looking at Ava.
"And this girl…" she nodded toward Ella.
"She's been bullying others too. Her phone is basically full of it."
Jake raised his phone slightly.
"Already got everything."
Ava glanced at Ella.
"Isn't her father running against his brother for the family inheritance?" Luna added.
"Spread the videos. Let's see if she still has time to act crazy after that."
Ella struggled against the ropes, trying to scream through the gag—but only muffled sounds came out.
Ava slowly reached up and cleaned her ear with her pinky finger.
Even the noise annoyed her.
"Even gagged, you're still loud," she said lazily. "You nearly killed me earlier—throwing a fire extinguisher down the stairs and attacking me with a knife like a banshee."
She kicked Ella's chair lightly.
The chair tipped—
Ella hit the floor with a dull thud.
A muffled scream followed.
Ava turned to the second girl.
"And you," she said, kicking her chair too. "Throwing buckets like it's a sport."
She tilted her head.
"Oops… did I do that?"
She repeated the girl's earlier words, voice light and mocking.
Silence.
Ava smiled slightly.
"Didn't you all want to humiliate me?" she asked. "Why don't I show you how it's really done?"
She glanced at Jake and gave him a small wink.
That was enough.
Jake tapped his phone once.
And everything went out.
Public posts.
School group chats.
Shared feeds.
Exposed videos of Ella and her gang—bullying, aggression, everything they had done—spread instantly across the school network and beyond and their texts their whole chat.
Ava stretched slightly, already losing interest.
"I'm going to wait for my handsome," she said casually, turning toward the exit.
Luna grabbed Jake's hand as she passed.
"I'm hungry," she said simply. "You're paying."
Jake sighed.
"Of course I am…"
"Sigh… baby, carry me," Jane said lazily.
Without hesitation, Jordan scooped her up in a bridal carry, holding her securely as she wrapped her arms around his neck, completely relaxed.
They walked out like it was the most normal thing in the world.
Behind them, Ella and her gang were still tied up in the abandoned gym, left in their ruined state as the others slowly dispersed
.
After the study session ended, Matthew packed his things calmly.
Felix stretched in his seat, glancing at him.
"You staying in the dorm today?"
Matthew paused for a moment, bag already on his shoulder.
"No," he said flatly. "I have something to do at home."
Without waiting for a response, he left.
Felix watched him go but didn't press further.
Outside the school—
Nyra had been standing with Mary, still talking softly about something, her tone mildly complaining as she adjusted her hair.
When she noticed Matthew walking out, her expression changed instantly.
Composed. Soft. Carefully arranged.
She stepped forward quickly.
"Are you going home?" Nyra asked gently. "I can let my driver take you."
Matthew didn't slow down.
"No need," he replied calmly, continuing toward the gate.
Nyra hesitated for a second, then followed.
The school gate came into view.
Outside, cars and drivers waited in different positions depending on status and permission.
Not every driver was allowed inside the compound.
Some students are allowed to drive themselves and parked in the garage.
Some students are even allowed to park in front of the school compound itself
Some waited in front of the school.
Some stayed at the gate.
And for others, only the road leading to the school was permitted.
Everything depended on status.
Nyra walked beside him, trying to keep up with his pace as chat with Matthew who answered time to time but he felt irrated inside as nrya was like a bird that doesn't shut it .
As they reached the school gate, Matthew paused.
His eyes scanned the surroundings once—slowly.
No one.
He adjusted his tie slightly, expression calm, then turned as if ready to leave.
Nyra noticed immediately.
Something flickered in her eyes.
"Are you waiting for Ava?" she asked.
Matthew glanced at her, calm and unreadable.
"Why would you think that?" he said flatly.
Nyra quickly smiled, exhaling softly like she had just been relieved of a thought she didn't want to believe.
"Then I can let my driver take you home," she said gently. "It won't be too much trouble. We're study partners anyway."
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, voice softer now, almost shy, eyes lifted toward him with a carefully polished brightness.
Matthew looked at her for a brief moment.
"Thank you," he said.
Nyra's smile brightened instantly—thinking he had accepted.
But then—
"I don't feel like taking a car ride right now ," Matthew added calmly. "I'll walk instead."
Nyra's smile froze.
Her lips parted slightly, like she was about to say something else
But a sound interrupted her.
A gagging noise.
Both of them paused.
Their heads turned slowly toward the source.
Near the gatekeeper's building—
Ava was sitting on the rooftop.
Watching them.
Completely relaxed.
Like she had been there the whole time.
"Ugh… I'm so full just watching this," she said loudly, face slightly scrunched in disgust. "I actually gagged at this cliché scene."
Nyra stiffened instantly.
Matthew's gaze lifted slightly.
Before anyone could fully react—
Ava moved.
Effortlessly.
She jumped down from the rooftop to a tree branch.
Then to a lower railing.
Then dropped to the ground like it was nothing—smooth, practiced, as if she had done it a thousand times before.
Even the gatekeeper barely reacted not coming out to see and the ones outside acted blind, as if this was not unusual anymore.
Ava walked straight toward them.
No hesitation.
No pause.
She reached Matthew—
And grabbed his hand.
"Let's go," she said simply.
Then she dragged him away.
Matthew glanced at Ava as she dragged him along, unusually quiet.
A faint smirk tugged at his lips.
"I thought you went home," he said, his tone light with teasing.
Ava didn't slow down.
"I was waiting for you," she replied, her brows slightly furrowed. "Didn't know you had a girl following you around. Doesn't she understand what 'no' means?"
Matthew scoffed softly.
"Do you understand what 'no' means?" he shot back.
Before she could respond, his hand tightened around hers, and he pulled her forward instead—taking the lead this time.
Ava blinked, then narrowed her eyes at him but didn't resist.
When they reached the bus station—
A sleek car pulled up in front of them.
The window rolled down.
Nyra.
"You can take my car instead of the bus," she said gently, her voice soft and considerate. "Even though the bus here is comfortable—it's not like a public bus—you still don't know who might be inside."
Her gaze lingered for a brief moment.
"Some workers' families use it… and some people got houses here out of luck. Not everyone's character is reliable."
A small pause.
"You can just come with me and I don't mind if Ava joined."
The bus station itself reflected the neighborhood—clean, orderly, clearly high-class.
This wasn't a normal route.
It was used by families of top company employees and high-ranking professionals, all living nearby.
Even the fare was extremely high—high enough to filter who could ride.
Still—
Nyra made it sound unsafe.
"We don't need your help," Ava said flatly, folding her arms.
Nyra's eyes immediately filled with tears.
"I don't know why you're getting mad at me…" she said softly, her voice trembling slightly. "I'm just trying to be nice. You don't have to be rude."
She lowered her gaze for a moment.
"It's my fault… I thought if I became friends with Matthew as a study partner, we could get closer and learn more together."
Her voice softened further.
"I didn't know you would get angry."
Then she looked up again, eyes shimmering.
"I have Matthew's best interest at heart. I know you like him… but I don't think that gives you the right to control his life and block everyone from getting close to him."
The words were gentle—
But precise.
Carefully placed.
And effective.
To anyone watching—
It looked like Ava was being possessive.
Controlling.
Even bullying.
The people waiting at the bus stop began reacting.
Whispers turned into comments.
"She's really rude…"
"Who gave her the right to speak for him?"
"Pretty face, ugly attitude…"
"Bullying that poor girl…"
Fingers pointed.
Eyes judged.
The more they spoke, the more Nyra's tears gathered—making her look even more fragile.
And Ava—
Looked like the villain.
"Wow, she's really rude," a woman said, shaking her head.
"Who gave her the right to speak for the boy?" a man added.
"Beautiful, but with a dark heart," another girl muttered.
"What's the use of beauty if she's wicked? Bullying that poor girl…"
The voices overlapped, one after another.
The more they spoke, the more Nyra's eyes filled with tears—her lashes trembling slightly as she looked at Ava like she had been wronged.
Like she was the victim.
Ava didn't respond.
Her expression remained unreadable, but her eyes had gone colder.
Before anything could escalate—
Matthew moved.
Without a word, he grabbed Ava's hand.
Firm.
And led her away.
Straight toward the bus that had just arrived.
They boarded without looking back.
Nyra stood there, stunned.
Her lips parted slightly as if she hadn't expected that outcome.
Slowly, she lowered her head.
The tears in her eyes disappeared almost instantly.
When she lifted her gaze again—
It was dark.
Cold.
Controlled.
She turned her head slightly toward the driver.
Without a word, he pressed a button.
The car window rolled up smoothly.
The scene outside was cut off.
Behind them, the crowd lost interest quickly as the "drama" ended, and they began boarding the bus.
Inside the bus—
As Ava was about to sit down—
A woman suddenly shoved her aside and slipped into the seat first.
Ava's body shifted slightly from the push.
Her eyes twitched.
Just once.
But she said nothing.
She simply stood there.
Silent.
Some of the same people who had witnessed everything earlier began whispering again, louder this time.
"Someone like her shouldn't even be here…"
"Just leave the bus if you can't behave…"
Their voices carried.
Sharp.
Judgmental.
But not everyone joined in.
Some passengers stayed quiet, their gazes lingering on her uniform.
Recognition.
Understanding.
Students from that school weren't ordinary.
No scholarships.
No exceptions.
Only the elite.
Even exchange students had different uniforms to distinguish them.
And people knew—
Not to get involved too deeply.
So the bus filled with two types of silence:
One loud with judgment.
The other quiet with caution.
Ava stood there—
Still.
Unmoved.
As the bus doors closed and it began to move.
Ava ignored the whispers and remained standing.
Then—
A middle-aged man stood up from his seat and walked toward her.
His eyes lingered too long.
There was something off about his smile.
"Pretty girl," he said, his tone overly familiar, "why don't you take my seat? Uncle will take care of you."
Ava glanced at him.
Paused.
Then smiled.
Soft. Easy.
She walked over and sat down.
The man's eyes lit up immediately, a flicker of excitement passing through them.
He stepped closer.
Too close.
His body leaned toward hers, invading her space, testing her reaction.
But Ava didn't move.
Didn't react.
That only made him bolder.
His hand reached out—
First brushing her arm.
Then—
Her face.
At the back of the bus—
Matthew's eyes opened.
Slowly.
He had been leaning back, headphones on, eyes closed—but the moment the man approached Ava, he had already noticed.
He pulled off his headphones and stood up.
But—
A girl sitting beside him suddenly raised her leg, blocking his way.
"You shouldn't help her," she said coldly.
"She clearly saw that man had bad intentions and still followed him."
She clicked her tongue.
"Who knows? Maybe she likes this kind of dirty behavior. Girls like her should be locked up."
An elderly woman nearby nodded in agreement.